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OVERVIEW

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Brief Synopsis

When his brother is murdered, a gunfighter comes out of retirement.

Brock Mitchell is released from jail after serving a year's sentence for killing a man in self-defense and returns to his home town of Showdown Creek. In his absence, the dead man's brother, lawyer Chad Deasey, has turned the townspeople against Brock, who is now regarded as a dangerous killer. Tracy, Brock's brother, has been taking care of their ranch while he was in jail, and has formed a partnership with two other ranchers, Norris and Riley, to provide services to the crews of the railroad that will soon be built nearby. In town, Tracy and Brock meet with Norris and Riley, finalize their proposal and await the arrival of Phelps, the railroad's business agent, on the next stage. Brock and Tracy also visit banker Van Steeden, who holds the loan note due on their ranch in three days. Van Steeden tells the brothers that although Deasey, one of the bank's directors, has stated that there will be no extension of the note and intends to buy it, he, Van Steeden, will personally assume responsibility for the loan but needs written confirmation from Phelps that the contract will be signed. Later, Deasey confronts Brock and introduces him to his recently hired bodyguard, gunman Miley Sutton. Brock tries to remind Deasey that his brother bullied a twenty-year-old man into drawing on him, killed the young man then challenged Brock, who shot him in self-defense. Tracy and Brock then meet Brock's former sweetheart, Ginny Clay, the sheriff's daughter, who renounced him after the shooting. Although Ginny seems glad to see Brock again, her escort, young Tom Williams, is nervous. When the stage arrives without Phelps, the partners learn that he has stayed over at the last stop in Gunstock and, assuming he will arrive the next day, decide to stay at the town's hotel overnight. In the bar, Sutton taunts Brock and a very intimidated Williams comes to promise Brock that he will never see Ginny again, puzzling Brock who holds no grudge against the young man. The next morning, Williams' mother publicly accuses Brock of running her son out of town, further alienating Brock from Ginny and the townspeople. After a confrontation in Deasey's office during which Brock refuses to sign a confession and leave town in exchange for Tracy receiving the loan extension, Sutton is about to shoot Brock when Brock overpowers him. To avoid further confrontations, Brock then leaves his gun belt with the sheriff. When Phelps again fails to arrive on the stage, Brock suggests that he ride to Gunstock to meet with him, but Norris and Riley reject the idea, fearing that Brock may make his own deal with the railroad. Although Brock tries to reconcile with Ginny, telling her he had never killed a man until forced to in self-defense, she is still uncertain of her feelings about him. At the saloon, Sutton goads Brock into a brawl that spills out onto the street and ends only when Tracy knocks Brock out with the sheriff's gun. The next day, Brock visits Mrs. Williams and after he assures her the he did not threaten her son, she breaks down and confesses that Deasey promised to nullify her bank loans if she publicly denounced Brock. Although Brock brings Ginny to hear Mrs. Williams' confession, Ginny remains noncommittal. After the next stage arrives without Phelps, Van Steeden, who does not like Deasey, becomes worried that Deasey will foreclose on the brothers' ranch that night. Brock and Tracy explain their situation to Norris and Riley and offer them part of their share if they will agree to let Brock go to Gunstock to see Phelps. Although they are still prejudiced against Brock, Norris and Riley agree to let Tracy go and reject any change to their original partnership. When Phelps and Tracy meet, Phelps shows him a letter from Deasey claiming to represent the partners and asking Phelps to wait for them in Gunstock. Having secured the necessary letter confirming the contract, Tracy rides back to Showdown Creek but is ambushed and left for dead by Sutton, who has followed him. Though fatally wounded, Tracy manages to return to town and, before he dies, tells Brock that Sutton was responsible. Ginny tells Brock that she now realizes he was not to blame for the death of Deasey's brother and, urging him to avenge Tracy's murder, brings him his gun belt. Brock, however, is reluctant to handle a gun again. When Deasey learns that Sutton killed Tracy, he becomes terrified that Brock will come gunning for him and begs Sutton to protect him. As Sutton attempts to leave town, he is forced into a showdown with the sheriff and his deputies, and takes Ginny as a hostage. After Sutton shoots a deputy, Brock picks up the man's gun and shoots Sutton, killing him. As the sheriff arrests Deasey, Brock and Ginny walk toward each other.